Thoughts on LOST "Confirmed Dead"

It's so good to be a LOST fan these days. I feel sorry for my friends who haven't drunk the Kool-Aid.

From the second half of last season there has been an increasing willingness to use violence. Jack kills many Others with his plan to "blow 'em all to hell". Bernard kills. Sawyer kills Tom in cold blood. Sayid kills (and tortures). Kim kills. Even Hurley kills with his DHARMA VW. Ben is beaten savagely by Jack, by Sawyer, by Danielle. Locke kills Naomi. Jack beats Locke, and tries to shoot Locke dead, although he finds the gun isn't loaded. Locke comes within seconds of killing Ben, and only his "daughter" and Claire voice any concern.

If LOST had started at this point in the story, would we be cheering for these people? For the most part, they are violent, vicious murderers. They have guns. They are silent in the jungle. They don't volunteer information and are cautious and suspicious. Some of them are following a manipulative leader who gets his orders from Jacob (or as Sawyer so humorously put it "Taller Ghost Walt").

Take that scene in the clearing when Jack tells the "rescuers" to put their guns down. It's almost an exact replay of one of the Losties first contact with The Others - the encounter with "Mr. Friendly". Jack even says he's willing to forget this little misunderstanding, almost quoting Mr. Friendly word for word. The message is clear. The Losties have become The Others.

I wonder how far they'll go? Probably too far, which is why the Oceanic Six are so racked with guilt.

There is much more to be said about this episode, but that's all for now.